You’ve found a job posting that’s a perfect match for you in almost every way. The company has all the traits you’re looking for, and the position appears to line up directly with everything you want and everything you have to offer. But there’s only one problem…the company wants a candidate with five years of experience and you only have three and a half years. Or maybe the company wants a fluent French speaker and you hardly remember any of the French you took in high school. If you lack just one or two of the necessary qualifications for a highly desirable job, how should you move forward? Keep these tips in mind.

Lacking a Required Skill? Don’t Panic

1. First, don’t immediately walk away. Even in the worst case scenario, the employers will assume you didn’t read the posting carefully and will hurl your resume into the trash with some annoyance. But that won’t hurt you. And it probably won’t happen. So don’t give up just yet.
2. Apply anyway, and as you do, highlight the required qualifications you DO have. If you possess nine out of ten items on the list, make these nine clear. Use the exact wording the employers used in the ad. If you need, and have, a degree in electrical engineering, a minor in business marketing, a year of medical emergency response experience, or a passion for the culinary arts, state these qualifications in both your resume and your cover letter.
3. Emphasize the skills you possess which aren’t specifically listed, but are likely to support success in this position.
4. Mention the required skill you lack, and do this by stating that your skill acquisition is a work in progress. If you don’t have current CPR certification, state that you’re enrolled in a course or actively pursuing the training you need. (Make sure all of your claims are true, of course). This will help employers know where you stand vis-a-vis the missing skill set, and it will also help your resume make it past keyword scanners.

Still not sure your prospects are ideal? Don’t worry. You have no way of knowing how truly necessary this skill set will be or what role it will play in your candidacy. But as long as you stay honest, there’s nothing wrong with rolling the dice. In the meantime, reach out to the staffing team at Expert for more information and specific help with your job search process.